Episode 215 -From ACL Surgery to 70.3 – Brian’s Nutrition-Fuelled Comeback

From ACL Surgery to 70.3 – Brian’s Nutrition-Fuelled Comeback

What does it take to come back stronger after a serious injury?

After tearing his ACL just six months out from a 70.3, TNA athlete Brian McLean could’ve thrown in the towel. Instead, he leaned into everything he’d learnt in the Academy and used nutrition as his secret weapon for recovery.

In this episode, Brian shares how he:

• Kept his identity intact during rehab
  
• Used strategic fuelling to avoid weight gain and support healing
  
• Transitioned to a plant-first approach without losing strength
  
• Built confidence to get back training and racing
  

It’s a must-listen if you’ve ever been sidelined by injury—or just want to make sure you’re doing everything right outside of training too.

Links:

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It’s for you if you’re a triathlete and you feel like you’ve got your training under control and you’re ready to layer in your nutrition. It's your warmup on the path to becoming a SUPERCHARGED triathlete – woohoo!

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Episode Transcription

Episode 215: From ACL Surgery to 70.3 – Brian’s Nutrition-Fuelled Comeback

Welcome to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. The show designed to serve you up evidence-based sports nutrition advice from the experts. Hi, I'm your host Taryn, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Advanced Sports Dietitian and founder of Dietitian Approved. Listen as I break down the latest evidence to give you practical, easy-to-digest strategies to train hard, recover faster and perform at your best. You have so much potential, and I want to help you unlock that with the power of nutrition. Let's get into it.

Taryn Richardson (00:00)
Today's guest on the podcast is TNA athlete Brian McLean. Brian knows firsthand just how important nutrition is for recovery, resilience, and triathlon performance, because nine months ago, he tore his ACL and found himself on the sidelines.

Like so many athletes, the physical pain of that is one thing—but the identity hit of being taken out of training and racing can be even tougher sometimes. When he first started rehab, nutrition was front of mind for him, which was great. He asked me straight away, “What do I need to do to get back faster?” That’s a result of being inside our Alumni Program for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

Brian quickly realised that what you eat during recovery is going to help you get back faster—and is just as important as what you eat during peak training blocks. By fuelling smarter, he’s been able to come back relatively quickly for that type of injury, support the healing process, and rebuild confidence for his return to training so he can come back stronger and more robust than before.

If you're listening and you know nutrition is your missing link, register your interest in our next TNA cohort. You'll find the link in the show notes or at dietitianapproved.com/academy .

In this episode, Brian shares some of the mistakes he made early on with nutrition, the key changes he implemented, and how nutrition became a game changer in helping him get back fast. Welcome to the podcast, Brian.

Brian McLean (01:39)
Thank you so much. Glad to be here.

Taryn Richardson (01:41)
I love your hat.

Brian McLean (01:42)
Well, you know, you’ve got to represent the brands that make you do the crazy things you do.

Taryn Richardson (01:46)
Love it! So take us back nine months—what happened?

Brian McLean (01:51)
We decided to play a game of Dads vs Sons basketball over the holidays. Dads won, but there was a high price for that victory—I tore my ACL in the second game. That was it for me.

Taryn Richardson (02:09)
Damn it, but at least you won.

Brian McLean (02:10)
Yep, I beat my son one-on-one and in Dads vs Sons. My basketball career is now over, so he’ll never have a winning record against me. To be fair, my son is two inches taller than I am—even though he’s 15.

Taryn Richardson (02:11)
So you retire as champion—drop the mic, walk away. What hurt more, the knee or the identity hit of being sidelined?

Brian McLean (02:35)
Initially, the surgery hurt, but the identity hit was big. I’d done a full Ironman about a year ago, and shortly before that race, my mother passed away. Not having her there was tough. Then we moved three states away—about 900 miles—and I was just getting back into training for 70.3 Chattanooga when I tore my ACL six months before the race. I was already well into prep, so when that was gone, it hit hard.

I coach as well, so there I was telling my athletes how to get through challenges while sitting on the couch doing nothing myself.

Taryn Richardson (03:32)
Do what I say, not what I do.

Brian McLean (03:34)
Exactly.

Taryn Richardson (03:36)
When you went into rehab, how much did you think nutrition would impact your recovery?

Brian McLean (03:45)
I’d already completed the TNA program and was in the Alumni Squad, so I knew recovery is hugely impacted by what we eat. I figured it’d be even more important after an injury when trying to rebuild muscle. I think I even talked to you in Alumni Squad before surgery.

Taryn Richardson (04:20)
That’s great—you were so proactive. Most people just wallow in self-pity or lose their appetite. Listening to your body post-surgery can be counterintuitive, so being proactive like you were really sets you up for success.

Brian McLean (04:58)
My physio probably thought I was ridiculous because every session I’d ask, “When can I get on the bike again? When can I run?” She knew my goal was to get back to triathlon.

Taryn Richardson (05:25)
Do you think your recovery progressed faster because of that nutrition knowledge?

Brian McLean (05:33)
Definitely. I did everything my physio said because I had a clear goal. Without triathlon, I probably wouldn’t have been as disciplined with food. Cycling is my outlet, so I just wanted to get back on the bike.

Taryn Richardson (05:54)
For some mental stability too, right? Looking back, how different do you think your recovery would’ve been without that nutrition knowledge?

Brian McLean (06:10)
I’d probably have gained more weight early on. But from our discussions, I knew to eat the right types of food in the right portions to avoid that. My wife jokes that the only reason I do Ironman is so I can eat whatever I want—but you can’t out-train a bad diet.

Within five months post-surgery, I was cycling 20 miles two or three times a week. I don’t think that would’ve happened without good nutrition.

Taryn Richardson (07:19)
That’s impressive. What’s your training like now, nine months post-surgery?

Brian McLean (07:26)
I had a follow-up surgery six weeks ago, so that set me back. I stopped working out for a few weeks, but just got back to it. Yesterday I did a 57-mile ride with friends—it felt great to finish.

Taryn Richardson (08:15)
Nice! That’s a solid distance.

Brian McLean (08:16)
Yeah, about 92 kilometres. Not a PR, but it gave me a baseline.

Taryn Richardson (08:55)
That’s awesome—it must feel so good to get back out there.

Brian McLean (09:02)
It does. I practised all my nutrition during the ride—70 grams of carbs an hour—and it went smoothly.

Taryn Richardson (09:05)
Tick! Love that. So before TNA, what were you doing differently?

Brian McLean (09:34)
Honestly, I was winging it. I had good advice from training friends, and I was okay at fuelling on the bike, but I was way off on recovery nutrition and everyday eating. Lots of takeaway, not enough veggies, typical Western diet.

Taryn Richardson (10:54)
And you’ve since reduced red meat too, right?

Brian McLean (10:54)
Yeah, I’ve cut it down from five times a week to about one or two. I’ve added more fish and plant protein. I feel lighter and healthier.

Taryn Richardson (11:47)
Nice—and you’re still strong, not losing muscle?

Brian McLean (11:47)
Yep, losing a little body fat slowly and safely.

Taryn Richardson (12:28)
Good. So when you were training for your 70.3, how does nutrition look now compared to your post-surgery phase?

Brian McLean (12:28)
I’m sticking to smaller plate sizes while I ramp back up, adjusting portions based on training load. It’s all about matching intake to output.

Taryn Richardson (13:40)
Exactly. Most athletes don’t know how to adjust when their training stops. That’s where blowouts happen after injury or illness.

Brian McLean (14:22)
Yeah, I focused on recovery foods early on—nutrient-dense options that help healing. Food really does make a difference.

Taryn Richardson (14:43)
Funny that—fuel your body, it works better!

Brian McLean (14:47)
Exactly. I read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman. He’s 100% plant-based, which I’m not, but it made me think differently. I now focus on eating plants first.

Taryn Richardson (15:18)
Same here—mostly plants but still some animal protein. That balance works.

Brian McLean (16:03)
Yeah, we eat way too much meat in Western culture.

Taryn Richardson (16:12)
Other than recovery, what other wins have you had from improving your nutrition?

Brian McLean (16:12)
I don’t crash mid-afternoon anymore, I recover faster, and I just feel better overall. Junk food doesn’t tempt me as much now that I see how different I feel.

Taryn Richardson (17:27)
Love that. And yes, junk food isn’t just an American problem—it’s global. You can’t expect high performance from low-quality fuel.

Brian McLean (18:02)
Exactly. Proper fuelling changed everything for me. After my first race, I was burnt out. After TNA, I felt re-energised. Now I’ve got two races booked in the next seven months—despite two surgeries!

Taryn Richardson (18:40)
That’s awesome. Having that goal and confidence to return is everything.

Brian McLean (19:32)
Yep. Nutrition matters all the time—not just during training. It affects how you feel, act, and even how you treat others. Food impacts your mood.

Taryn Richardson (20:00)
Exercise does the same for me. Keeps me human.

Brian McLean (20:17)
My next race is Ironman Florida 70.3 in December, and then Chattanooga in May 2026. My goal is to be back to full race form by then.

Taryn Richardson (21:17)
Love it. What’s the long-term plan—Kona? Ultraman?

Brian McLean (21:17)
Maybe not full Ironman again—my dad says it’s too hard on the body—but I’ll stick with 70.3s for now.

Taryn Richardson (22:26)
Perfect balance. And maybe Santa Cruz 2027?

Brian McLean (22:04)
Possibly! Depends on the kids. Once they’re grown, it’ll be easier to travel.

Taryn Richardson (22:26)
Don’t wish it away—it goes fast.

Brian, thank you so much for sharing your journey. Coming back from major injury is no small feat. Your story proves how critical nutrition is—not just for race day but every day.

If you’re listening and sidelined by injury, remember Brian’s story: get your nutrition sorted now so you can bounce back faster and stronger. Learn more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy at dietitianapproved.com/academy .

Brian, can’t wait to see you back on the start line stronger than ever.

Brian McLean (24:52)
That’s the goal.

Taryn Richardson (24:54)
Love it. Thanks again, Brian—and to everyone listening, I’ll chat to you next week.

Thanks for joining me for this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions or want to share with me what you've learned, email me at [email protected]. You can also spread the word by leaving me a review and taking a screenshot of you listening to the show. Don't forget to tag me on social media, @dietitian.approved, so I can give you a shout out, too. If you want to learn more about what we do, head to dietitianapproved.com. And if you want to learn more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program, head to dietitianapproved.com/academy. Thanks for joining me and I look forward to helping you smashed in the fourth leg - nutrition!